The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-01-14

was almost dropping from EXHAUSTION.
Hours passed In this wrestle with pain
How many she did not know, but when sh,
came forth it was with the composure of ont
who had fought the fight and won the victory
but at cost that forbade exultation.
There was one ordeal that thus far she hat
not been called upon to endure. From til,
day on which she had donned her sable robe
to that of Harry's return no one had venturet
to speak his name in her presence. Even he,
dignation, had kept silence In pity for lie,
suffering, and there was that In her bearing
that forbade others touching upon subject
in her hearing that elsewhere was discussed
with the hungry avidity of village gossips
masticating fresh scandal.
But she could not he always spared thus. She
had not been so careful Of the feelings of less
favored women and girls, inferior to her in
brightness, as to gain any claim for clement
treatment now, when the displacement OF q
portion of her armor Of superiority gave those
who cnvied or disliked her an unprotected
spot upon which to launch their irritating
little darts.
All the sewing, dorcas and mite societies Of
the several churches in Sardis had been
merged into one consolidated Lint Scraping
and Bandage Making union in whose enlarged
confines the waves Of gossip flowed with as
much more force and volume as other waves
gain when the floods unite number of small
pools into one great lake.
In other days sensational ripple starting,
say in the Episcopalian "Dorcas," was stilled
into ca.,nness ere it passed the calm and
stately church boundaries. 1t would not do
| to let its existence be even suspected by the
keen eyes of the freely-censorious Presbyterian
danes, or the sharp-witted, agile-tongued
Methodist ladies.
The rising fervor Of the war spirit melted
away most of these barriers to free inter-
change of gossip With the first thrill of
pleasure at finding that patriotism had drawn
together those whom the churches had long
held aloof, came to all the gushing impulse to
cement the newly formed relationship by con-
fding to each other secrets heretofore jeal-
ously guarded. Nor should be forgotten the
narrative stimulus" every one feels on gain
ing new listeners to old stories.
1t was so graciously condescending in Mrs.
Euphrosyne Pursifer to communicate to Mrs.
Elizabeth Baker some few particulars in
which her aristocratic associates of st. Marks
had grieved her by not rising to her standard
Of womanly dignity and Christian duty
that Mrs. Baker in turn was only too happy
to reciprocate with a similar confidence
in regard to her intimate friends of Wesley
chapel.
1t was this sudden lapsing of all restraint
that made the waves of gossip surge like
sweeping pillows.
And the fotsam that appeared most fire.
quently of late on their crests, and that was
tossed most relentlessly hither and thither,
was Rachel Bonds and Harry Glen's conduct
and relations to each other.
The Consolidated Lint Scraping and Band
age Making union was holding regular ses-
sion, and gossip was at spring tide.
at is certainly queer" said Mrs. Tufts, one
Of her regulation smiles Illuminating her very
artificial countenance; lit is singular to the
last degree that we don't have Miss Rachel
Bond among us. She is such a lovely girl l
am very, very fond OF her. and her heart is
thoroughly in unison with our objects. It
aWarr ~ = e,s.s = -
All this with the acrd sub-favor Of irony
and insincerity with which an insincere
woman can not help tainting even her most
sincere words.
YES" said Mrs. Tabtha Grimes.
Rachel Bond started into this work quite
as brash as Harry Glen started into the war.
Her enthusiasm died out about as quickly as
his courage, when it came to the actual
business, and she found there was nobody to
admire her industry, or the way she got her.
self up, except parcel of married women"
"Well, why nots" asked Elmira Spelter, the
main grief of whose life was times cruel ill.,
hexibility in scoring upon her face unconceal-
able tallies of every one of his yearly lights
over her head, "why shouldn't she enjoy these
golden days. Youth is passing, to her and to
all of us, like an arrow from the bow. It'd |
be absurd for her to waste her time in this |
stuffy old place, when there are SO many more |
ones. 1t ought to be enough that |
those of us who have onlya few remnants
of beauty left, should devote them to this
work"
"Well," snapped Mrs Grimes, "your dona-
ton of good looks to the cause-even if you
give all you got-will be quite modest, some
thing on the widows mite order You might
easily obey the scriptural injunction, and
give them with your right hand without your
left knowing what was being done"
Elmira WINGED under this spiteful bludgeon
ing, hut she rallied and came back at her an
-agonist.
well, my DEAR" she said quietly, "the
thought often occurs to me, that one great
reason why we both have been able to keep
n the straight and narrow path, is the entire
ack of that beauty which so often proves a
mare to tho feet of even the best mentioned
Peacemaking was one of the prerogatives
assumed by Mrs. Tufts as belonging to the
social leadership to which she had elected her
elf She now fastened to check the rapidly
opening breach.
Ladies" she said, blandly. "the discussion
las wandered. Our first remarks were, be-
ieve, about Miss Bond, and there was a sur
Mise as to her reasons for discontinuing at
endance upon our meetings."
The diversion had the anticipated effect.
The two disputaDts gladly quit each other, to
urn upon and rend the object flung in be-
ween them.
"Why Rachel Bond don't come here any
noref' said Mrs. Grimes, with q sniff that
vas one of the keenest edged weapons in her
armory. "When YOU know
Rachel Bond as well as do, you'll know how
title likely she is to do anything that's not
,oing to be for her benefit in some way. She's
mighty particular in everything, but more
particular in that than in anything else.n
"Of course, we all know" said Elmira,
she set her cap for Harry Glen, and played